Why Leeds is staying in Tier 3 - the rates and science explained

Mr Hancock updated MPs on Thursday morning.

The current coronavirus rate in Leeds is 138.3, with 1097 new cases recorded in the week to December 12.

This fell from a rate of 143.5 - with 1138 cases in the week - to December 5.

A total of 109,167 people tested positive for Covid-19 in England at least once in the week to December 9, according to the latest Test and Trace figures.

This is up 12% on the previous week but is still below the peak weekly total of 168,535 recorded in the seven days to November 11.

Matt Hancock said cases were rising "across the world".

Mr Hancock acknowledged that Tier 3 restrictions were "tough".

He said: "The best way for anyone to get out of them is to pull together."

Bristol and North Somerset will drop from Tier 3 to Tier 2 on Saturday.

Rates in Herefordshire also dropped and the area will move to Tier 1.

The East Riding of Yorkshire, Hull, North East Lincolnshire, North Lincolnshire, South Yorkshire and West Yorkshire remain under the strictest rules.

North Yorkshire, including York, remains under Tier 2 restrictions.

Leeds City Council had previously told the Government that they felt the city could be moved into Tier 2 due to a fall in coronavirus infection rates.

However, it said that the decision was "ultimately down to the Government".

In a message released on Thursday, the council said that "whilst the number of Covid patients in hospital has dropped, the numbers are still high and regrettably the number of people dying from Covid has continued to rise in recent weeks".

The statement continued: "Our thoughts are with those who have lost loved ones at this difficult time. The NHS continues to be under significant pressure treating Covid patients, delivering normal services and managing the vaccination programme, and there are concerns as we head into January and February next year this pressure will increase."

Speaking at a meeting for the media on Thursday, Lucy Jackson from the council said: "The rate is 138.2 very slightly up, but over the last 7 days it’s a 5% decrease.

"[Leeds] is 195th in the country."

The council said the positivity rate had ropped to 5.3% and the rate in over 60s has gone down by 14% in the last week.

Lucy Jackson continued: "That is testament to all of the work across Leeds.

"Rates in care homes and schools are now stable."

-> Leeds news LIVE: Government to announce decision on Leeds staying in Tier 3 or moving to Tier 2What do Leeds Council say?

Leeds Council are set to make a statement on Thursday.

However, in a statement released on Friday, December 11, Leader of Leeds City Council, Judith Blake said: "The decision about which tier Leeds falls in to is ultimately down to the Government and we will adhere to its guidance.

"We have submitted our view to Ministers and officials, published today in our Exec Board report, that due to falling infection rates and extensive plans and structures that are in place, we believe Leeds is in a position to safely enter Tier 2 next week.

"This is a finely balanced judgement, and there are different risks associated with Tier 2 and Tier 3, but we think the public in Leeds will respect the rules and play their part to help reduce the infection rate.

“People across the city have helped to make vital progress against all five of the government’s criteria, including significantly reducing positive cases across all age groups, by more than 65 per cent in the last four weeks.

"Likewise, infection rates among the over-60s has significantly reduced, and the percentage of positive test results has also fallen by 60% over the last four weeks."

What did Boris Johnson say?

As ministers met to discuss the new allocations, Prime Minister Boris Johnson defied calls to lessen the freedoms being granted over the festive season and instead urged people to have a “smaller, safer” Christmas and avoid the elderly and vulnerable.

What is the current situation in England?

The picture across England was largely one of rising infections, with the latest data showing 255 (81%) of the 315 local areas in England have seen a rise in case rates and 60 (19%) have seen a fall.

The Government said a further 612 people had died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 in the UK as of Wednesday, while a further 25,161 lab-confirmed cases of coronavirus were reported.

What are the Covid household mixing rules in full?

The laws to permit people to mix to an extent over Christmas seemed on Thursday to be staying the same in England.

– So what’s the law?

The regulations allow for a five-day “Christmas window” from December 23-27 when people can form exclusive bubbles of up to three households across the UK.

Boris Johnson told the Commons that there was “unanimous agreement” across the four nations “that we should proceed in principle with the existing regulations”.

-> Leeds United supporting dog goes viral after hilarious video of her goal celebrations– What’s the advice for England?

The Prime Minister said that “we don’t want to criminalise people’s long-made plans” but issued a warning for people to be “extremely cautious” over their actions.

He said that individuals should “exercise a high degree of personal responsibility”, particularly when considering meeting elderly people.

– Is it the same in Wales?

First Minister Mark Drakeford did not appear to be changing the law for Christmas in Wales but he was changing his advice for the Welsh public.

He said the new position is that “only two households should come together to form an exclusive Christmas bubble” over the five-day period.

“The fewer people we mix with in our homes, the less chance we have of catching or spreading the virus,” he said.

“None of us wants to be ill this Christmas. And we don’t want to give coronavirus to our close family or friends.”

Wales will then go into full lockdown from December 28 to last an initial three weeks.

-> Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has 34 per cent drop in cancer diagnostic scans through Covid year– And Scotland?

Nicola Sturgeon said that her “strong recommendation” is that people do not mix households over the period in what is “unequivocally the safest way to spend Christmas”.

The Scottish First Minister said that meetings should take place outdoors if possible but if it was “essential” to meet inside then she advised people to meet for only one day and to not stay overnight.

Ms Sturgeon urged people against travelling between areas of high and low infection rates and asked people to consider “postponing” Christmas.

“The reality is that this Christmas simply can’t be normal. But we have every reason to hope that next year’s will be much more normal,” she added.

– How about Northern Ireland?

First Minister Arlene Foster said people needed to take “all and every precaution” when they come together at Christmas but could not rule out further restrictions in the days afterwards.

Health Minister Robin Swann is due to bring proposals for further Covid-19 restrictions to the Stormont executive on Thursday but Mrs Foster said she did not expect a recommendation for new measures to be introduced before the festive break.

Mrs Foster said she noted the more stringent advice on household mixing from her counterpart in Wales but added: “I am not going to prejudge what the minister is going to bring to us but undoubtedly we will have something to say tomorrow and over the next few days.”

– Legally speaking, will it be a normal Christmas?

Not at all. The tiered restrictions largely still do apply.

For example, pubs and restaurants in Tier 3 areas will not be open for business as usual over Christmas.

– What do the experts make of it all?

Two top medical journals have called for the Government to call off its “rash” decision.

In a rare joint editorial, the British Medical Journal and Health Service Journal said the Government “is about to blunder into another major error that will cost many lives”.

They added that the Government had been too slow to introduce restrictions in the spring and again in the autumn, and restrictions were needed over Christmas ahead of a “likely third wave”.

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